Besides a dual career as a successful composer and clarinet virtuoso, Jörg Widmann has for some time now being making his way as a conductor. And the results are there for all to see, witness the Irish Chamber Orchestra's straining at the leash to appoint this German musician as principal guest conductor.
In this new capacity, Widmann, together with these brilliant Irish chamber musicians, tackles the classic Jupiter Symphony by Mozart. But they also perform recent compositions including Widmann's own 'Insel der Sirenen', a glorious work for chamber orchestra.
In the course of this concert Widmann of course also demonstrates his instrumental virtuosity. Not only in Weber's Clarinet Quintet, which we get to hear as a real concerto, but also in his own extremely virtuoso 'Fantasie', a piece that alternates between quiet melodies, screaming glissandi and jolting rhythms.